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Wednesday, May 08, 2013

Le Road Trip

Yesterday I went to CDG to pick up Vivianand escort her into town to the quite fabulous tiny hotel de Nesle in the 6th arrondissement. Viv had generously taken me to JFK when I departed NYC with my mountains of junk, so it was the least I could do.

Since Vivian has 9 cats I figured she'd bring me one. No way. But she did bring me more chewing gum than I could have dreamed of (15 packs!). Gum has become popular in France. And my Timex alarm clock-radio I left behind and impossible to find in Paris. It lights in the dark, wakes you up to Cherie FM and improves your French accent immeasurably if you listen to soccer games in the background. Almost as good as having a Fr spouse.

I didn't see a live cat at Hotel de Nesle but plenty of decorative cats.

Masses of artworks and homey tchotchkes.

Even a bear or two...

There's a delightful terrace garden up on the landing for Serenity Now and peace and quiet when you need it.

A short trip to Morocco was planned, so the 'Afrique' room was perfect

It's pretty normal to arrive in Paris completely jet-lagged and sleepy, but as soon as she put on her J.Peterman 'English Tunic Blouse' (No. 3774) she was transformed into a dynamo raging to go. Who knew? I must get one of these.

Top of the to-do list was a decent cup of tea (the list includes must-dos in every arrondissement in Paris(!) so good thing her J.Peterman is with her...ahem. We headed/ran out the door enroute to that essential cup of tea at café de Nesle on the corner of Nesle and rue Dauphine,

At the café my chevre chaud was disappointing. I didn't expect it to be deep-fried inside dim sum wrappers. Viv was thrilled with her omelette nature and perfect cup of tea.

But she left the cookie that accompanied the tea, a Speculoos cookie of all things. I asked if I could have it and how come she wasn't eating it in the first place. Didn't she eat sweets?

She said long ago a friend told her,

"Don't eat dessert if it isn't FABULOUS!"

I did not eat the cookie.

I'm immortalizing it here by posting it as the first-ever cookie I didn't eat that was there like Mount Everest sitting on the table.

That sounds fabulous, you and Viviane in Paris! And your little aside of "J. Peterman" almost made me fall off the chair!. Here I am, somehow left in the believe that the company has gone under years ago! How could that ever happen? Peterman's was one of the few catalogues I actually leafed through as soon as I found it in my mailbox!So, thank you for the good news. :-)

Those little Belgian-type spice cookies wrapped in cellophane are also often on Viennese coffee trays, just like the complementary glass of water. Sometimes instead of the cookie a small piece of foil-wrapped chocolate accompanies the coffee. I used to appreciate the offering when i lusted after something sweet yet did not want to eat a whole pastry. Generally, I adhere to the "OFD" - Only Fabulous Desserts - principle.

Oh my! That Hotel de Nesle looks like a fabulous little hotel! Makes me want to pack my bags right now & get on a plane. :D I'll be adding Vivian's books to my Kindle pronto, They'll be joining the Cara Black's "Aimee Leduc" books that I'm working my way through! Like Merisi, I nearly fell off my chair when I saw that J.Peterman tunic! I was like "Wow" that IS a vintage blouse because I thought Peterman's went out of business long ago. I did a little research to find them and while I had their website up on my laptop, the DH saw it & asked the same question, "J.Peterman's? I thought they were out of business!" He still has the baseball jacket we bought from them in the late 80s!OFD: excellent rule to live by! :D

I LOVE reading your blogs. Your photos are marvelous, as well as your prose :-) Thank you for introducing me to Cara Black (and Aimee Leduc!) and Speculoos cookies, which I have been able to find at Trader Joe's in Tucson, AZ!!I may never travel to Paris but your words and photos make it seem that I am there...

Carol, many thanks to you and to Vivian for the Nesle tip. I have made a note.

Please also add me to the list of folks who've got some vintage J Peterman stuff still operational. I also have some friends who worked for the company when they had a brief stay in NYC. It's grand to know that the website still breathes, with wit, too.

Your prior post's evening video walk exploring intriguing Parisian rues was quite good. I hope that you will be including more of these quick views.

Before this comment gets too much longer, I'd also like to compliment your latest drawing and painting. Wonderful to know that you are finding time to create these witty beauties.

Paris Letters

♥carol gillott♥

l'Ile Saint Louis, Paris, Ile de France, France

Hi I'm Carol Gillott,
My Mom taught me watercolors at 5. I'm still at it, now tripping over cobblestones, living in a 6th-floor garret on l'Ile Saint-Louis, Paris. Read Parisbreakfast with a hot chocolate and croissant.
I paint Paris breakfasts.